


Arancini Balls

by girls_like_girls



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Chef Regina, Cooking, Cute, F/F, Fluff, Food Porn, Friendship/Love, Italian Food, Love, Pregnant Emma, Romantic Fluff, Short, Swam Queen, prompt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-01
Updated: 2018-11-02
Packaged: 2019-05-16 19:33:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 20,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14817542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/girls_like_girls/pseuds/girls_like_girls
Summary: What happens when Emma's neighbor, Regina, cooks something that appeals to her pregnancy cravings?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my take on a prompt that was posted in the SQ fanfiction group. I hope you like it. 
> 
> I do not own OUAT or the characters. I just like to play around with them every now and again.

“Sigue andando el camino por toda su vida, respira. Y si pierdes mis huellas que dios te bendiga, respira.”

Regina sang in her kitchen as she checked the temperature of her risotto. It was nice and cream; her papa would be proud. She’d spent many days watching her father cook. Italian dishes, Puerto Rican dishes, and Mediterranean dishes were his specialty. It had taken her years to master risotto. She’d either undercook the rice or let it get too dry, and then it looked like glue. That was no good for anyone. 

“This is my street. I smile at the faces I've known all my life they regard me with pride,  
and everyone's sweet, they say, ‘you're going places.’ So how can I say that while I was away, I had so much to hide?”

Regina added an egg, ½ cup of breadcrumbs and some parsley to the cooled risotto. She smiled down as she started rolling the mixture into arancini balls. She placed each rolled arancini ball on a piece of parchment paper. She checked each ball to ensure the sizing was correct before grabbing Fontina cheese cubes out of the fridge. 

“...As the radio plays old forgotten boleros, I think of the days when the city was mine. I remember the praise ‘ay, te adoro, te Quiero’ the neighborhood waved and said ‘Nina, be brave, te Quiero and you're gonna be fine.”

She used her thumb to make an imprint into the first arancini ball and placed the cubed Fontina in the indentation. She used some of the excess mixture to cover the cube and pinched it closed. Then she rolled the ball in breadcrumbs, making sure she coated it in its entirety. She repeated this process with all of the arancini balls, then placed the baking sheet in the fridge. She set the timer on the oven for an hour. 

Regina pressed pause on her phone and left the kitchen, headed for the bathroom. She’d had a long day and was looking forward to a nice hot shower and her arancini balls. She turned on the water, inhaling deeply, exhaling, stripping down and stepping into the shower.  
*************  
Emma groaned and rolled over in bed. She looked at the clock. 6:41. She rubbed her very swollen belly and took a deep breath. 

“Kid, you have an unhealthy obsession with my bladder.” She rolled onto her side and struggled to sit up, grunting as she finally got to an upright position. She pushed herself up to stand and waddled slowly to the toilet, pulling down her sweatpants and underwear. Emma sat down with a relieved sigh. She felt like she always had to pee. It never failed. Even when she was done peeing, she had to pee. It was annoying, but she'd just recently entered her last trimester, so it was nearly over. She wiped and flushed the toilet, stood, and looked down. 

“Never thought I’d miss my feet.” She waddled to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge. She wondered if August would bring anything home when he got off of work. Maybe she should ask him to. She really didn’t feel like cooking, and she’d hadn’t wanted pizza or Chinese food for the past three weeks, so delivery wasn’t an option. She opened the fridge again and stared, hoping that something appetizing would magically appear. She groaned as the tiny human kicked, but smiled down at him and rubbed her belly. 

“Hey, you. You'll be coming out soon...ish. Are you excited? I’m excited to eat pizza again. You don’t like pizza though, which is weird. Maybe you’re an alien because I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like pizza.” 

Emma took a slow drink of water from the bottle, then inhaled deeply, and groaned. Something smelled terrific and it made her eyes cross a little. She received another kick and smiled. 

“I know kid, I wonder what that is. Do you think it’s the singing lady or the hip-hop guy?”

She stood in the kitchen and sniffed the air. Her mouth watered. “That’s definitely Italian.” 

She turned at the sound of keys in the door. August walked into the condo, bringing the amazing scent from the hallway into their living space. 

“Something smells good out there,” August said as he closed the door. He smiled at Emma and walked over to her. 

“How’s my nephew?” August grabbed a beer out of the fridge and downed half of it.

“Hungry, and his uncle didn’t bring home any food,” Emma whined as she rubbed her belly and pouted. She had two hot dogs with the works for lunch, but that was long gone, and she was starving. 

“I planned on ordering Chinese.”

Emma’s stomach rolled, and she fought the wave of nausea that threatened to overtake her. She opened the cabinet and grabbed a plate. She didn’t know how this would go over, but she was damn near starving, and if she was forced to eat Chinese food she was going to vomit. She waddled towards the door, ignoring August when he asked her what the hell she was doing. 

She crossed the threshold and wanted to drool. The entire hallway smelled delicious, and she had to have whatever was being cooked. She walked down the hall and discovered that it was, in fact, the singing woman who was cooking. She could hear the woman’s voice through the door. Emma wasn’t familiar with the music, but her voice sounded lovely.  


“My father was a farmer, his father was a farmer, and you will be a farmer. But I told him, ‘Papi, I’m sorry, I’m going farther. I’m getting on a plane. And I am gonna change the world someday!’ And he slapped my face….he stood there staring at me...useless.” 

Emma took a deep breath, and knocked on the door. 

Regina looked at the door confused. She wasn’t expecting company, especially at this hour. She checked her arancini balls. “Just a minute!”

She pulled the last batch out of the oil and turned off the heat before hurrying over to her front door to pull it open. She cocked her head to the side, and looked the woman up and down. She didn’t know her, though she was sure she lived in the building. Her blonde hair was piled on top of her head in a typical messy bun, and her eyes were a striking green that was enchanting. She was cute and very pregnant. Regina smiled at her. “Hello.”

“Hi.”

Regina waited, wondering what the woman wanted. “So….what can I do for you?”

Emma bit her lip and sighed; she looked around before looking up at Regina. “Um...well...I’m pregnant.” 

“I see that.” 

Emma blushed. “Yes...right. Um...so I’m pregnant...like super pregnant...and because I’m like super pregnant I always have these weird cravings, and I’m always hungry.”

Regina arched her eyebrow and crossed her arms. She fought off the smile that was threatening to break free across her bare lips. “What’s your name, dear?”

“Emma...Swan.”

Regina nodded and couldn’t help but smile when she noticed the plate in Emma’s hand. She hadn’t seen it earlier because it was half hidden behind the blonde’s back. 

“I’m Regina.”

Emma nodded, “Regina...cool. Okay, so I know this is weird but whatever you’re cooking smells amazing and...well...would you, uh...be willing to share with a super hungry pregnant woman?”

Regina chuckled and shook her head. She had to admit she found the blonde quite charming. “What kind of person would I be to say no to a super hungry pregnant woman? Come in, Miss Swan.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Lovelies,
> 
> Well, I didn't expect to be back here writing more to this story but I am. One chapter just wasn't enough. I tweaked a few things in Chapter One to give the story a bit more longevity. This won't be a long drawn out endeavor, but I will explore some elements. This story is my playground, so I'll be trying some things and exercising my skills as a writer. This story is food heavy and since food is sensuous and decadent, I'm really going to try to work with imagery and really painting pictures. That being said, enjoy Chapter Two!
> 
> ~Jem

Emma was pleasantly surprised as Regina turned around and walked into her condo, leaving the door open for her to follow. It smelled of whatever heavenly thing Regina was cooking. The scent caressed her as she walked inside, closing the door behind her. It dawned on Emma after she’d walked into the brunette’s home that she didn’t know the woman. She prayed her hunger hadn’t led her to an untimely death at the hand of a beautiful, psychotic chef. 

She looked around. It was clear that Regina had great taste. The living room was painted a muted blue with taupe accents, and the furniture in the living room complimented it well. It wasn’t excessive, just a grey loveseat with a matching recliner. Her television was mounted to the wall, there a nice brown coffee table in the middle of the room, and one end table dressed with a simple lamp sat between the loveseat and the recliner. 

“Would you like a glass of water? I usually drink wine with this, but given your condition, I don’t think it’s wise.” Regina looked over her shoulder as she turned off the oven, and smiled at the woman standing awkwardly in her living room. There was nervous energy surrounding the blonde. 

Emma shook her head no. Even before pregnancy, she hadn’t been a wine drinker. She preferred beer or tequila. 

“You can have a seat; I just need to stir the marinara sauce and take the tenderloin out of the oven, then I can plate everything.” 

“I appreciate that, but if I sit down then I have to get back up, and that’s not fun or easy at the moment.”

“How far along are you...if you don’t mind me asking?” Regina said as she grabbed two pot holders. 

“Oh no, it’s fine. I’m 26 weeks.”

Regina nodded and turned the heat off under the sauce. She added some oregano, basil, and a bit of parsley then opened the oven and lifted the cast iron dutch oven out, gently sitting it on the stove and removing the lid. Steam filled the air in front of her, and the smell was mouthwatering. 

Next, she opened the cupboard and grabbed two plates, ladling a serving of sauce onto each plate carefully so it wouldn’t run. She then placed four arancini balls on top of the bed of marinara. She sang as she worked, feeling utterly comfortable despite the stranger in her home. 

“If I win the lottery, you’ll never see me again/I’ll be downtown/ get a nice studio/ I’ll get out of the barrio/ If I win the lottery/ you’ll wonder where I’ve been!” 

Emma smiled as she watched Regina work. She wondered if the woman even realized she was singing along to whatever was playing. Emma and August had dubbed her the singing lady. She could frequently be heard in the evenings and sometimes in the morning. It was a variety of genres; she had an eclectic taste in music. 

“Are you allergic to anything? I’d rather not to send a pregnant woman into anaphylactic shock.” There was a lilt to Regina’s voice, one that held both mischief and concern.

Emma smiled and shook her head, “No, it’s safe to feed me anything...” 

Regina chuckled, trying to ignore the inappropriate thought that attempted to worm its way into her mind’s eye at Emma’s words. She grabbed the santoku knife out of the block and sliced the tenderloin with an expert touch.

“Good. This is a rather simple dish, and it’s light. Arancini balls on a bed of homemade marinara, with a side of pork tenderloin and salad.”

“Never heard of it, but it smells amazing. It led me over here...to a strange woman’s condo in the hopes of eating some, so whatever it is...I hope it tastes half as good as it smells.” 

Regina couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up, “It’s a fancy way to say rice balls.” She placed a few slices of tenderloin on each plate and then opened up the refrigerator to remove an elegant looking salad bowl. She set it carefully on the counter, took a pair of bamboo salad hands from a drawer in front of her, and filled the rest of each plate with a small mountain of mesclun greens before drizzling a fancy looking dressing over both servings.

Emma chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of her neck. She watched as Regina sprinkled something green over both plates. She then realized that she would have to sit and eat with this very attractive woman. She was beautiful; her skin was olive toned, and her eyes were a warm brown. Her thick and luscious brown hair was pulled into a high ponytail, and she was comfortably dressed in an open cardigan with a cami underneath. Her pants looked like silk. There was no way Emma would be able to string together two proper sentences in this woman’s presence.

She hadn’t thought it through. Damn her hungry belly. She was not a social person, and she was terrible with women. Even worse with attractive women. She placed her hands on her baby bump and rubbed it self-consciously.

“Miss Swan...are you all right?” Regina placed both plates on the quaint dining room table and walked over to Emma, stopping short when Emma folded in on herself, hunching her shoulders and shrinking visibly. 

“If you want, you can take the plate and go back to your condo. I won’t be offended.” Regina walked back over to the table and picked up one of the plates. She carried it back to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator to grab a wedge of fresh parmesan. She opened another drawer, retrieved her microplane and grated some of the fragrant, hard cheese over the top of Emma’s plate. Then, she picked up the plate again and this time presented it to the pregnant woman with a fork.

“Be careful, the bottom of the plate is hot. Try to eat it soon; it tastes better when it’s fresh…” Regina handed Emma the plate, watching as she nested the plate she brought under the one Regina gave her. The brunette led Emma to the door and smiled at her. 

“Thanks.” Emma walked out of the condo, waddling a little as she made her way back home. She didn’t look back, but she could tell that Regina was watching her. She got to her door and finally mustered the courage to glance over her shoulder. She met Regina’s eye and smiled before stepping into her condo. 

“Dammit Em, I was going to come over there! I can’t believe you did that,” August huffed as Emma walked in. 

Emma rolled her eyes as she closed the door. She waved him off as she walked over to their dining room table, setting the plate down. Slowly, she lowered herself into a chair. She had to admit she’d been nervous, but something about Regina made her sure that the woman wouldn’t hurt her. 

“I was fine, she was nice. Now, will you let me eat in peace? She said it’s better hot.” 

Emma used the side of her fork to cut into one of the balls on the plate. The scent that drifted upward was delightful, and Emma salivated in anticipation. She dipped the piece she’d cut into the marinara sauce and slowly brought it towards her lips. Small puffs of steam danced over the forkful, and she blew gently before putting it in her mouth. She groaned sensuously and her eyes crossed. She felt like her taste buds were having the most glorious orgasm, and she needed to experience it again. She cut off another piece and dipped it in the sauce, slowly bringing it to her mouth. All the different flavors melded so beautifully, and she couldn’t help the lewd moan she released.

“Are you done making love to your fork? I’d like to order my Chinese food without it sounding like a porno in here,” August joked. 

Emma flicked him off and took another bite. 

“Em, do you want Chinese donuts?”

Emma looked up and smiled cheesily. 

“Yes.”

“So is it good?” August asked after he’d placed his order. He grabbed a bottle of water and another beer out of the fridge, then walked over to her and put the water down. He smiled, amused, as she put another bite in her mouth. August reached out to snag a bit, and she popped his hand, causing him to laugh. He took a swig of beer. 

“So, the singing lady then?”

Emma nodded as she took her first bite of pork. It seduced her taste buds into an overwhelming explosion that she should have been prepared for but wasn’t. Her eyes slipped closed as she savored the flavors that lingered on her tongue.

“Yea, Regina. Her place is nice.”

“Doesn’t surprise me. She drives a Mercedes, I think. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen her in the garage a few times. If it’s the same woman I’m thinking of, she’s beautiful too. Like, model beautiful.” August took another drink. 

“Average height, olive skin, longish brunette hair, deep brown eyes, subtle curves?” Emma spoke around the bite in her mouth.

August nodded and chuckled, “So you were checking her out? I’m not surprised. You know I don’t care.” 

Emma took another bite from her plate and chewed slowly, though it was more to give her time to think than to savor the mouthful. “What? No, I mean...she’s pretty...that’s a given, but I wasn’t checking her out or anything.” 

August sucked his teeth and looked at Emma incredulously. As if she needed to hide from him. He wouldn’t judge her; she should know that. “Yea, ok Em, Gandhi would look twice at the woman.” 

Emma cracked opened the bottle of water and gave August a small smile. She took a swallow and looked down at her plate. “Gandhi was guilty of sexual exploitation, so just shut up and let me enjoy my dinner.” 

*******************  
Light streamed into Regina’s bedroom, and she groaned, turning over to check the time. 7:37 a.m. With a huff, she rolled out of bed, her feet hitting the cool, hardwood floor. She stretched languidly and padded into her bathroom, turned the water on, and shed her camisole and silk pajama bottoms. Standing in front of the iHome that was permanently stationed in the bathroom, Regina hit shuffle, adjusting the volume down a little. Fiddling with the shower knobs, she made the water a little hotter before stepping under the shower head. The water greeted her like rainfall against her skin as the opening chords of her playlist filled the bathroom. 

“I keep on fallin'/ in and out of love with you/ Sometimes I love ya/ sometimes you make me blue/  
Sometimes I feel good/ at times I feel used. Lovin' you darlin'...makes me so confused.”

Regina sang as she stepped away from the water and squeezed body wash onto her sea sponge. Giving it a couple of small squeezes under the water to get a lather going, she began to wash slowly and thoroughly, leaving gardenia scented suds across her body. She scrubbed away the night and the demons that came with it. 

“You think I'm stupid/ but the truth is that its cupid, baby/ lovin' you has made me this way/So before you point your finger/ get your hands off of my trigger/You need to know this situation's getting old/ and now the more you talk, the less I can say.”

She stepped under the spray, allowing the water to rain down over her. Suds ran down her body in white rivulets and flowed between manicured toes before disappearing down the drain. She ran her fingers through her wet hair and picked up her shampoo bottle. She squeezed a little more than an ample amount into the palm of her hand. 

“With all my heart/ I love you baby/ Stay with me/ and you will see my arms/ will hold you, baby/  
Never leave/ 'cause I believe I'm in love/...sweet love/”

She massaged her scalp with the pads of her fingers, then pulled the shampoo through her thick tresses. It hung past her shoulders, and she was so tempted to chop it all off again, though she always belatedly missed it when she cut it. 

She rinsed, then squeezed the excess water from her hair and combed conditioner through with her fingers. While she let the conditioner go to work, she picked up her razor and took care of her legs. There wasn’t much hair, but she wasn’t a fan of body hair at all, so even a little stubble was too much. She was quick and efficient. Rinsing off her legs, she then rinsed out her conditioner before turning the water off. 

She stepped into a steam-filled bathroom, letting the water drip onto her plush bath mat. She walked over to the sink and brushed her teeth before beginning the process of getting ready. Blow drying her hair was a never-ending task. Didn’t seem to matter what she did, it always took forever. She washed her face, then moisturized. Getting dressed was the easy part. Then came her makeup.

Styling her hair was a bit difficult due to the wash and blow dry, but she made due with some product and letting her curls have their way. Such a tedious process, but it was a necessity. She checked the time and smiled. 9:18. Regina headed for the kitchen. She had a breakfast meeting with a potential buyer at 10 a.m., so she bypassed breakfast, grabbed her keys and bag, and headed for the door before remembering she hadn’t turned off the iHome. Regina sighed and walked efficiently back to the bathroom to turn off the docking station. Satisfied that she didn't forget anything else, she retraced her steps and opened the front door, only to see a brown paper bag. She opened it to find her plate and fork, along with a note. 

_Hi,  
Thanks for feeding my very hungry pregnant belly. I think it’s totally awesome that you did that. Also, the food was amazing. That’s actually not a good enough word but yeah, so. Good. Well, the least I could do was dishes, so I’m returning your plate and fork clean..._

__

_P.S. Your playlist this morning was pretty awesome.  
~Emma ___

____

____

__

__

Regina smiled down at the note and looked down the hall. She didn’t have time to go over, but she made a mental note to do so after work. She placed the paper bag on the floor inside her condo, but slipped the letter in her handbag before closing and locking the front door.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, lovelies, it's been a month and that sucks but good news...I FINISHED MY MASTERS PROGRAM!!! Holy shit this has been a long time coming but I am finally finished which means I have a boatload of free time that I can use to write. I'm so excited, aren't you excited? Consistent updates? That's exciting. Well, I'll stop rambling and give you what you want. Enjoy chapter 3!  
> ~Jem

“I cannot believe you are still working; you look ready to pop.” The older woman at the booth said with a genuine smile on her face. She was a regular, someone Emma saw every day at breakfast time, who ordered the same thing. She always paid with a $20 and left the change to Emma as her tip; $7.67. 

“I’m only 26 weeks Miss Sharon, still have a while to go.” Emma smiled as she poured her coffee, enjoying the light conversation before the second wave of the morning rush hit. It was always killer on her ankles. 

“You sure there’s only one in there? There may be a surprise in there, happened to my daughter.” Sharon sipped her coffee and arched an eyebrow playfully. 

Emma shook her head, “No ma’am; one was a big enough surprise.” 

Emma smiled again and walked back over to the counter. She smiled at Lisa and sat the coffee pot down. “20 more minutes of quiet.” 

Lisa snorted and wiped the counter down. Phase two of the morning rush was a killer. The little bistro sat smack dab in the middle of a business district, and they all came barrelling in looking for coffee and breakfast. 6 am was a busy time, but it was mostly to go orders, it was easy to deal with, and Emma only did it on Mondays. But the second wave was from roughly 8-10am, and it was massive. A mixture of pushy businesspeople on their phones snapping at her and lowly assistants trying to carry multiple coffees and pastries for the office. 

“Order up!” 

Emma grabbed the plate of scrambled eggs, turkey bacon, and two pancakes and walked it over to Sharon. “There you are Miss Sharon, enjoy!”

“I will sugar, so glad I made it in before the morning rush.” 

Emma smiled and nodded. She began checking all the tables in her section, ensuring they were stocked with sugar, salt, pepper, and ketchup and mustard. She wiped them all down and looked up at the clock. Five minutes until showtime. She looked over at Lisa who huffed and tightened her ponytail. Emma reached up to do the same, as the door swung open. A frantic looking young woman walked in. 

“Hi, um...wow, you’re super pregnant. Shit, sorry that was rude, sorry. Um, can you help me?”

Emma chuckled and nodded. She reached out her hand for what she knew was a list of orders. She looked at it and couldn’t help but roll her eyes. It was shorthand and handwriting that Emma recognized. 

“You’re new.”

Emma went back behind the counter and began preparing the order. The door chimed as she did and she motioned for Lisa to take them. Emma started selecting danishes and muffins, placing them in a bag. She poured five cups of coffee, leaving room for cream and sugar, then put them in the carrier. 

“How did you read that?”

Emma smiled, “I recognize the handwriting. You work over at the accounting firm.”

Emma grabbed a beverage carrier and placed a coffee in each hole, and wedged the last coffee in the center. She put cream and sugar in a small bag, then set that bag inside the pastry bag.

“If you come in and I’m not here, tell them you work for Jones and Associates, they’ll take care of you.”

The young girl smiled and picked up the carrier. Emma sat the bag of pastries on top and smiled at her. She received a smile in return before the young assistant handed her a company card. Emma rang in the order and gave it back with the receipt.

“Try to have a good day.” The girl chuckled and headed for the door. 

The morning rush went like a well-oiled machine. Emma and Lisa worked in tandem to keep all the customers happy while ensuring the kitchen wasn’t overloaded with orders. There were copious amounts of coffee poured and pancakes flipped. A decent amount of muffins were bagged and sent out in a flurry. Orange juice was on tap, and they were thankful for it. Emma and Lisa managed to keep smiles plastered on their faces even as Lisa was inundated with come-ons and Emma’s belly was treated like a good luck Buddha. 

Emma checked the time and sighed. It was five till and the door had stopped swinging open constantly. Emma wiped down her empty tables and restocked the sugar packets. The door swung open, and Emma groaned internally at the sound of heels clicking rapidly against the tiles. A woman whose face she didn’t see marched past her and slid into a booth across from a young man. He looked to be in his mid-twenties, and he had ‘daddy’s money’ written all over him. The signature haircut, khaki pants that were a half-size too small, a button down and sweater vest. Emma looked over at Lisa, who was working on three different tables. She put on her ‘customer service’ smile and walked up to the table. 

“Hello my name is Em--”

“Coffee, with space for cream and sugar.” 

Emma scoffed and rolled her eyes at the audacity of the man sitting at the table. She could only see the profile of the woman sitting across from him, but she could see her jaw was tense. Emma stalked off and went to grab the coffee he so rudely requested. She filled the coffee cup, leaving a bit too much space for cream and sugar before returning to the table with cream. 

“Do you know what you’d like to order?”

He scoffed and looked up at her, “How about you give us a moment to look at the menu and then we’ll let you know.” 

Emam took a deep breath and looked to the woman sitting across from him. After a moment the brunette woman looked up. Emma furrowed her brow before recognition dawned and she cleared her throat. “My name is Emma, just let me know when you’re ready to order.” 

Regina sighed as she watched Emma walk away. Gideon Gold was indeed an asshole, but she didn’t know how big of an asshole he was until that moment. She couldn’t believe how rude he’d been when ordering his coffee, but the disrespect got under her skin. 

“So Gideon, I brought some potential properties for your new endeavor that you may interest you. I know your last venture didn’t go as planned.”

She watched as he poured cream and six packs of sugar into his coffee cup. He sipped it slowly and looked up. “Yea, but that’s in the past. I have a really good business plan this time around and honestly, who can screw up a nightclub? It’s just music and alcohol.” 

Regina bit her tongue; she honestly didn’t care if he failed again. She would still make commission off of the sale and then she’d be the one to have to re-sell the property. She was currently working on selling the two houses he’d bought in an attempt to become a landlord. 

“I know you want something downtown, but the market is very saturated at the moment. So, I found a few properties that are near the downtown area that could still prove lucrative.” 

He leaned back in his chair and yawned before picking up the menu and looking through it, completely ignoring Regina. He clicked his tongue a few times before closing the menu. “I think I’m ready to order.” 

He turned around and snapped his fingers a few times in a crude attempt to get Emma’s attention. Regina’s nostrils flared, and she cleared her throat. 

“Her name is Emma.” 

He looked back at Regina and arched an eyebrow. “And?”

“If you want her attention you may want to try using her name.”

He turned back around towards the counter and saw that Emma wasn’t paying him any attention. She was at the coffee machine, her back to their table. 

“Emma!”

Regina rolled her eyes and exhaled slowly through her nose. She made eye contact with Emma and mouthed ‘I’m sorry.’ Emma smiled and made her way over to the table. 

“What can I get for you, sir?” 

“I’ll have the pancetta and gouda omelet with an onion bagel.” He looked up and saw Emma staring down at him. He cocked his head to the side. 

“Don’t you think you should write that down?”

Emma continued to smile and shook her head. “Pancetta and gouda omelet and an onion bagel. I’ll also come and top off your coffee. Would you like anything else?”

He narrowed his eyes but didn’t say anything. Regina hid her smile behind her hands. 

“And you, miss?”

Regina smiled at Emma, “I’ll have rooibos tea please, with honey on the side, and the fruit salad.” 

Emma nodded and went to put in the orders. Regina couldn’t help but watch her walk away. The woman was beautiful, and seeing her in her work uniform didn’t change that. She grabbed the coffee carafe and returned to the table to top off Gideon’s mug. She brought more cream and sugar with her. 

“I’ll be right back with your tea,” she told Regina.

“No rush, thank you.” 

Emma went back to the counter and took a deep breath. She’d dealt with asshole customers before, more times then she could count, but the guy sitting with Regina was a grade-A prick, and she couldn’t wait for him to leave. She scooped some of the rooibos tea into a tea ball and poured hot water into a teacup. Placing the mesh tea ball on the saucer, she grabbed the honey and made her way back to the table. She smiled at Regina as she put the tea in front her.

“Anything else?”

“No, now if you’ll excuse us, we’re trying to have a business meeting. I’m sure that’s not something you know anything about,” the man sneered.

Emma recoiled at his tone and stepped away from the table. She nodded once and headed to the back, needing a moment. 

“That was completely uncalled for, Gideon.” 

He sat up straight and leaned across the table a little. “How about you do your job and show me the damn properties.” 

She held his eye for a moment, not backing down, but not bucking back either. She wished she could slap the smirk off of his face. Regina broke eye contact and opened her bag to retrieve a folder. In it were a few properties she’d found. She began going over the specs for each one. She wasn’t surprised when he took a liking to one of the more expensive options. With Mr. Gold bankrolling yet another business endeavor, Gideon wasn’t modest in the slightest. Mr. Gold was one of her most significant clients, and the only reason she tolerated Gideon and all his crassness. He was also a friend of the family, so she allowed far more than she would have from any other client.

“Here you are.” Emma placed the omelet and bagel in front of Gideon and then set the fruit salad and honey in front of Regina. She didn’t linger at the table; she couldn’t take being snapped at again. Her hormones were all over the place, and she couldn’t guarantee she wouldn’t lose her temper if he was rude again. 

Regina half listened as Gideon spoke at length about his new nightclub idea. She ate slowly, but she was more focused on Emma. The blonde got around quite well, but Regina could see the signs of fatigue. The way she leaned a little against the counter while she rolled silverware. How her smile fell when she wasn’t looking directly at a customer. Regina could only imagine how badly her feet were hurting. 

“--gotta be at least a C cup.”

Regina looked up and squinted. “Pardon?”

“My bartenders. Gotta be at least a C cup. I think their uniform would be similar to Hooters. But with, like, fishnets. Good idea huh?”

“Gideon...how you run your business is not my concern. You having a building for said business is my concern. Now, the property you want is $1.1 million. I don’t think your father wants to pay that for a potential passing fancy. I suggest option two. It’s less square footage, but it is two stories. It was recently renovated, and I’m sure I can get it for roughly $600,000.”

Gideon dropped his fork onto his plate and pushed away from the table. “The only reason I’m talking to you is because my father thinks you’re great. Get me what I want. I don’t care what it costs.” 

Regina was utterly fed up with Gideon, she sipped her tea and then looked up. “The only reason I’m here is because your father is a family friend. Now, you were placed on a budget. A generous one, but a budget nonetheless. There will still be renovations you need to make, on top of licenses, staff, and many other expenses. So you should work on wanting option two because that’s what you can afford.” 

Regina stood slowly and grabbed her bag. She made eye contact with Emma before grabbing three twenties out of her wallet and dropping them on the table. She turned on her heels and strutted out of the bistro.  
*******  
Emma stepped out of the bathroom feeling refreshed. Steamed swirled behind her as she towel dried her hair. She padded through the condo, shuffling her feet. Her feet were killing her, and her lower back was sore. She walked into the kitchen and saw a note on the counter.  
_Em,  
Won’t be home tonight. Please eat a real dinner. Love you!_

She smiled and shook her head. She loved how August insisted on leaving little notes around the house instead of just texting her. She opened the fridge and groaned at the lack of Tupperware. That meant she had to cook. And that sounded horrible because it would make her sick. She closed the refrigerator and opened the cabinet. She grabbed a half empty bag of Dill Pickle Lay’s and headed for the couch. She prepared herself for the task of sitting down when there was a knock at the door. She sighed and dropped the bag of chips onto the table and went to open the door. 

“Hi…” Emma cocked her head to the side; she didn’t expect to see Regina at her door. It was a pleasant surprise.

“Hello, Emma. I just wanted to come over and apologize for my client’s behavior this morning. It was very rude, and I’m sorry you had to deal with that.” Regina shuffled from side to side, a bit uncomfortable. She’d been kicking herself all day for not sticking up for Emma in the moment. 

Emma chuckled, “No need. I deal with assholes all the time. And besides, you left me quite a hefty tip. I was able to put some in the discretionary fund….did you want to come in?”

“Oh...I wouldn’t want to impose; I also have a dinner meeting I need to be getting ready for. I came over to apologize and give you this.” 

Emma looked down, finally noticing the small bag in Regina’s hand. She reached out and took the bag and peeked inside. 

“I figured...you didn’t have dessert last night and I felt horrible about today and how I handled it. So I stopped over at my favorite bakery and grabbed you a piece of their amazing Tres Leches Cake.”

“You really didn’t have to do that, but thank you. Like I said, your tip allowed me to give out a couple of pastries and a stack of pancakes..”

Regina furrowed her brow, confused. She was also trying not to notice the fact that Emma was cold, it was quite distracting. “Um...how did my tip do that?”

Emma smiled, “Lisa and I created this fund for the homeless in the area. When we have a really good day or a big tip, we put some money in the cover it if someone comes by who is hungry but can’t afford a meal. Our boss doesn’t like it, but it’s paid for, and they don’t stay to eat so he can’t really do anything.”

Regina smiled, “That’s amazing that you do that.”

“Yea, it’s something that I care a lot about. I wish I could do more.” 

Regina nods, not knowing what to say. She should go and get changed; she’s supposed to meet with Mr. Gold. Apparently, Gideon didn’t like what Regina had to say to him. She wasn’t worried about the meeting. She knew she wouldn’t lose Gold as a client. He’d probably thank her. 

“Thank you, for the bag and note this morning.” 

Emma rubbed her belly and smiled, “You’re thanking me for returning your bowl and fork.”

“...And the note.” 

They both chuckled. “Speaking of, since I’m going to dinner tonight, I have leftovers that I won’t eat. Would you like them?”

Emma smiled brightly and nodded. “Please? I realized just before you knocked that I didn’t have anything to eat and was going to order something because cooking makes me nauseous.”

Regina smiled back and motioned for Emma to follow her. They walked down the hall, and Regina pushed her door open. Emma walked inside and pushed the door closed behind her. She watched as Regina walked into the kitchen and began pulling glass containers out of the fridge. 

“When you reheat the arancini balls, they won’t be as crisp as they were last night, but the flavor will still be good.” She sat the containers on the counter. She furrowed her brow as Emma stood in her living room, rubbing her belly and looking around. 

“Emma?”

“Oh, um….well, if it’s ok with you, could I just eat it here? I know I was weird yesterday but...August isn’t home tonight and well...I-”

“You can eat here. I still need to shower and find something suitable to wear. My dinner isn’t for another two hours.” Regina grabs a plate from a cabinet. She smiles to herself, and she goes about making up Emma’s dinner. 

“So, who was the guy you were with today...if you don’t mind me asking.”

Regina looked over her shoulder and chuckled, “A client. I work in real estate. Today, I was meeting with a family friend’s son. I’m actually going to meet his father for dinner.” 

Regina motioned to the intimate dining area as she placed Emma’s dish in the microwave. “Unfortunately, I don’t have many beverage options that aren’t alcoholic.”

“Beers fine.” 

A heavy silence hung in the area before Emma crackled a sinful smile and laughed wholeheartedly. “Sorry, I have a horrible sense of humor. Water is fine.”

Regina chuckled and grabbed a bottle of mineral water and a glass. “I hope you don’t mind mineral water.” She placed the glass and bottle on the table. 

“It’s fine. So...is this guy you’re meeting a rich dude? Because the douche you had breakfast with had ‘daddy’s money’ written all over him.” 

Regina placed the plate of food in front of Emma with a fork, “He is. And Gideon has no problem spending daddy’s money.” 

Regina went to the kitchen and began washing the empty dishes. She hummed a song as she worked. 

“I know you like to listen to music; it’s your house, you don’t have to be in silence if you don’t want to.” Emma cute into a piece of tenderloin and sighed as the flavors caressed her tongue. 

Regina smiled, “Duly noted, I’ll probably turn it on when I start to get ready. Also, feel free to leave when you’re finished. You don’t have to wait for me to come back out, just closed the door behind you.”

Emma nodded, “Sure, I wouldn’t want to impose any more than I already am.” She took a bite of an arancini ball and groaned. Even though they weren’t fresh, the flavor was still decadent; it felt sinful. The cheese and risotto were a grand combination, and with the marinara sauce sitting overnight, the flavors popped. 

“Emma, you’re not imposing. If you want, you can stay, have your tres leches cake for dessert maybe even watch television. Then we’ll walk out together. I wouldn’t have invited you into my home if I didn’t want you here.”

“I think that’s brave of you, especially because you don’t know me.” 

Regina smirked, “I do know you, you’re a super hungry pregnant woman.”  
*****************  
_And you got me, let go /What you want from me? /And I tried to buy your pretty heart, but the price too high._

Regina smoothed the fabric of her wrap dress, eradicating any wrinkles. She twisted one way then the other before nodding once at her reflection, deeming the look acceptable. Mr. Gold was a dear friend to her mother, and though she and Cora were not necessarily close, she did her very best to keep the family connections in good standing. That was the only reason she put up with Gideon Gold, well that and she thought the Belle was delightful. She sat on the edge of the bed and slipped into her shoes.

_You do shit on purpose / you get mad, and you break things /feel bad, try to fix things / but you're perfect /poorly wired circuit /and got hands like an ocean /push you out, pull you back in_

She checked the mirror once more, fluffing her hair and dabbing at the corner of her mouth for excess lipstick. She hadn’t checked on Emma since she’d gotten out of the shower and she wondered if the woman had indeed left. It was quiet, underneath the sound of the music floating around her room. She grabbed a clutch and turned the music off before stepping out of her bedroom. She walked into the kitchen and saw that all the dishes were washed and dried. They sat on the counter and Regina smiled at the gesture. She looked at the dining room and saw that it was empty. She sighed, wanting to have seen Emma again but not know what those feelings meant. 

She turned off the light in the kitchen and moved towards the door when something amiss caught her eyes. The television was on, though the volume was really low. She squinted and walked into the living room and smiled widely. Emma lay asleep on her couch. She’d covered her legs with one of the throw blankets. Regina grabbed the remote and turned the television off. She kneeled down by Emma and debated what to do. The woman looked comfortable, but Regina didn’t want to leave her there without telling her anything. She gently touched Emma’s shoulder.

“Emma….Emma?”

The blonde stirred before her eyes slowly opened, “Regina, I fell asleep? I'm sorry” She tried to sit up but Regina shh’d her and shook her head. 

“There’s no need to be sorry. I’m getting ready to leave. I contemplated just letting you sleep, but then I figured it would awkward if you woke up and I wasn’t here.” 

Emma smiled but nodded, “Thank you, um...I’ll just head home then.” 

Regina stood and reached out a hand to help Emma get up. It was a bit comical, but Regina held in her amusement. 

“Can you believe I still have almost three months left of this. I’m going to be as big as a house.” 

Regina chuckled as she and Emma walked towards the door, “Well pregnancy suits you, dear. You wear it well.” 

Emma rolled her eyes, “I’m pregnant, you have to say that. You can’t tell me I look like a cow. That’s just rude.” 

They stepped out of Regina’s front door, and Emma waited for Regina to lock the door. “Well, thank you again for an amazing dinner….and that cake... was delicious. I don’t know what I can offer in thanks.” 

“It’s not necessary. That fact that you enjoyed it was enough...I must get going, but please don’t hesitate to come over if you’re hungry. I love to cook, and it’s nice having someone to cook for.”

Emma smiled, “I will more than likely take you up on that offer often. Thanks again and I’ll see you later.” 

Regina nodded and watched Emma walked into her condo.

"Oh." Emma turned around, "You look amazing by the way. That's a great color on you." Emma blushed and walked into her condo, closing the door softly. 

Regina stared at the empty hall a slight blush rising on her neck. She looked down at the mauve wrap dress and smiled an


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No food porn this chapter which kinda made me sad. But we're going places here. Tell me your thoughts!  
> ~Jem

"August? Where are you?" With the phone cradled between her shoulder and ear, Emma sat on the edge of her bed. She struggled to pull the leggings up her legs. She huffed and fell back against her bed and wiggled from side to side until stretchy fabric moved up to her mid-thigh. She rolled onto her side before standing slowly and pulled them up the rest of the way.

"I'm walking into the office. It was raining this morning. I know you're off today, I didn't think you'd mind." 

Emma sighed, running her fingers through her hair. She could feel tears burning in the corners of her eyes; she'd been fighting tears for the past week. Her hormones were entirely out of whack, and she was frustrated with how out of control she felt. She knew it was common during pregnancy, but she'd been hoping it was just a stereotype. Though she'd been emotional throughout her pregnancy, it had never manifested outwardly. There was a heaviness that she tried to hide; a loneliness that hovered just under the surface. 

She groaned as she walked over to her dresser, "I'm off because I have to see Dr. Marks today." 

"Shit Em, I completely forgot. I'm going into a meeting with the publishers right now."

She gritted her teeth and counted to ten softly to herself. She opened one of the drawers in pulled out a t-shirt. It was one of the larger ones she owned. She put the phone on the dresser and put it on speaker. 

"August...I know this appointment is on the calendar that _you_ bought so _you_ would know when I had to go to the doctor."

____Emma slid her feet into a pair of Tom's, they were a gift from August that she'd initially refused to accept, but he wouldn't take them back. She eventually caved and wore them, they were extremely comfortable, as they should be because they were also expensive._ _ _ _

____"I didn't look this morning I was rushing. I'm sorry."_ _ _ _

____She looked over at her clock and saw that it was a quarter to a nine. Her appointment was at 10, and she knew that taking the bus was not an option. She hated catching a cab; she always felt weird being alone in a car with a stranger._ _ _ _

____She picked up the phone, "You owe me cab fare. There's no way I'll make it all the way there on the bus." She pulled her hair into a high ponytail. She smoothed down the hair leading into the ponytail and sighed. She needed a haircut; badly._ _ _ _

____"Take an Uber; it's cheaper and probably easier. No one takes cabs anymore Em."_ _ _ _

____Emma scoffed, hung up the phone and tossed it on the bed. She twirled the hair hanging from the ponytail and took a deep breath, trying to gather herself. She felt the tears prickle in the corner of her eye before it slid down her cheek. It was quickly followed by another. She was going to be late. Dr. Marks was popular; if she were too late, she'd have to reschedule, and that was always difficult to do._ _ _ _

____Walking over to her closet, she fished out a hoodie because the doctor's office was always freezing. She grabbed her phone off the bed and headed for the door. The spare keys were thankfully hanging on the hook and Emma put them in the kangaroo pocket of her hoodie. She took her wallet from the bowl on the table and walked out of the condo._ _ _ _

____"--No! Absolutely not. After the appraisal 560 is more than adequate. the offer is generous….shiny new interior doesn't change the fact that there are problems with the structure, expensive problems."_ _ _ _

____Emma stopped at her door and looked over at Regina. She hadn't seen the other woman in over a week. She'd felt awkward about how comfortable she was with the brunette. Seeing Regina at that moment, Emma realized that she'd missed her. That couldn't be a good sign. They weren't friends, just neighbors. She had to hide away that little girl inside her that wanted someone to want her; she didn't want to grow too attached, because eventually, Regina would become tired of her. Everyone grew tired of her eventually._ _ _ _

____Regina was dressed in a navy skirt that hugged her curves and a taupe button-down blouse, the material was tastefully sheer, a camisole underneath. A pair of printed Manalo Blahniks completed the look. Emma tried not to stare, but she couldn't help herself. She couldn't deny that Regina was an attractive woman. Probably one of the most alluring woman she'd encountered._ _ _ _

____"What my client can afford is not your concern. Your asking price would be sufficient if the property were up to date, but it isn't. I believe that 545 is the best we can offer. Take it or leave it. I'll be in touch." Regina hung up the phone and dropped it in her purse._ _ _ _

____"Hi." Emma smiled and chuckled when Regina jumped a little. "Sorry, I didn't want to interrupt your call."_ _ _ _

____Regina visibly relaxed and smiled brightly at Emma. "Hi... you're not usually around on Monday mornings."_ _ _ _

____Regina turned the key, successfully locking the door and turned to face Emma. The blonde was in a grey pullover hoodie and a pair of sky blue and purple leggings. Even in something so casual, Emma managed to look pretty, though the thought caused Regina to flush. She cleared her throat and waited for the blonde to reach her before she started towards the elevator._ _ _ _

____Emma shook her head, "I work the sunrise shift usually. I have a doctor's appointment this morning, so I took the day off."_ _ _ _

____"Oh…you're going by yourself?" Regina didn't know much about Emma's life, but she did know there was also a man that lived in the condo with Emma. He was handsome in a rugged, biker sort of way. She'd seen him in the hall a few times before she'd made Emma's acquaintance. She honestly didn't make them for a couple, but it would seem she was mistaken._ _ _ _

____Emma shrugged, "August forgot, and he took my car, so I'm going to grab an Uber."_ _ _ _

____"Well, that was rude." Regina huffed as she and Emma reached the elevator. Whoever August was he didn't seem very responsible, leaving the mother of his child stranded on the morning of a doctor's appointment. If Regina were Emma's partner, she would attend every appointment._ _ _ _

____"He didn't mean to, it was raining this morning, and he knew I was off but forgot that I had a doctor's appointment." Emma defended August; he was a good guy, he was just a little forgetful especially when he was stressed._ _ _ _

____Regina nodded but didn't say anything. She'd stood by and watched her sister make excused for her husband when he did something wrong or forgot an important event. Pressing the issue never went well so, and Regina didn't want to upset Emma. They both stepped into the elevator and Regina pushed 'G' while Emma hit the 'L.'_ _ _ _

____"Will you be alright going by yourself?"_ _ _ _

____"Hmm? Oh, yea. It's no big deal. Just gotta make sure this little guy is healthy." She shrugged and rubbed her belly, smiling down. She rubbed her stomach gently as she felt him move. He usually did when she was in the elevator._ _ _ _

____Regina smiled, "You're having a boy?"_ _ _ _

____Emma nodded, "I am."_ _ _ _

____Emma had been terrified when she'd found out she was pregnant. She didn't have contact with his father; they ended on bad terms. After the first ultrasound, she'd let all of her fears go. She knew she would have to do it alone, but she also knew she'd do whatever it took to ensure her son had everything he needed._ _ _ _

____"Are you going to name him after August?" Regina asked, trying to sound nonchalant._ _ _ _

____Emma snorted as the elevator stopped at the lobby, "He wishes. See you later."_ _ _ _

____Emma stepped out of the elevator, and the door slid closed behind her. Regina sighed and shook her head at herself. Of course, Emma was still with the father of her child. She was sweet and beautiful, why did Regina assume that she was somehow single? Regina stepped out of the elevator and walked over to her car. She placed her purse in the back seat and pushed the button to start her car. She moved swiftly through the garage and pulled out on to the street. She looked to her right and saw Emma standing in front of the building, staring at her phone. Regina pulled up in front of her and beeped the horn._ _ _ _

____Emma looked up and smiled, "You're not my Uber."_ _ _ _

____Regina leaned across the center console, a grin on her face, "No, I'm not your Uber, but I can give you a ride."_ _ _ _

____Emma blushed and shook her head. "I couldn't ask you to do that. My Uber is eight minutes away."_ _ _ _

____Regina put her hazards on, "You didn't ask. I offered. I don't have any meetings this morning, so I'm free. I'm assuming your appointment is at 10. I'll get you there at least eight minutes faster than your Uber will."_ _ _ _

____Emma bit her bottom him and looked down at her phone. She looked back up at Regina and rolled her eyes. "Fine."_ _ _ _

____Emma walked over to Regina's car and lowered herself into the passenger seat. It was a struggled like it always was. It was also embarrassing. She fought to keep from crying. There was no way she would cry in Regina's car._ _ _ _

____"You can adjust the seat on your right."_ _ _ _

____Emma fiddled with the controls and sighed when nothing happened. Her fingers slid haphazardly over the buttons. She groaned and gave up. Attempting to get comfortable in the seat._ _ _ _

____Regina looked over at Emma and smiled knowingly. She shook her head and reached over to help. She reached the toggles and tried to ignore Emma's breath against the side of her neck or the way the younger woman gasped when Regina's hand brushed her arm._ _ _ _

____"Sorry, no one ever sits there, that's why it was so uncomfortable. Is that better?" Regina leaned back and put her seatbelt back on. She looked over and caught Emma's eye. Emma was a little flushed, but she nodded._ _ _ _

____"Where to?"_ _ _ _

____Emma opened the Uber app and canceled her ride before opening Waze. Emma tapped on her phone screen before an English accent filled the car, detailing where in which Regina should drive. Regina didn't comment on the voice or the groan that came from Emma when the app began to navigate._ _ _ _

____Regina turned off the hazards and proceeded to the intended route. "How have you been? I haven't seen you in over a week."_ _ _ _

____"I know...just working and sleeping. Oh and going to the bathroom, this kid likes to tap dance on my bladder."_ _ _ _

____Regina grinned and shook her head, amused. "Is it that bad?"_ _ _ _

____Emma chuckled, "Yes. I wake up to him just pressing on it. It's so frustrating when I'm working, especially during the rushes. I can't step off the floor to go pee every 20 minutes during the lunch rush."_ _ _ _

____"So what do you do?"_ _ _ _

____"I wear a diaper."_ _ _ _

____Regina's eyes widened, and Emma laughed loudly. "I'm sorry to laugh at you, I was kidding, but your face was priceless."_ _ _ _

____"Emma that is not funny!" They stopped at a stoplight, and Regina faux glared at Emma, "I can't beli-"_ _ _ _

____The sound of Regina's phone ringing filled the car, and Regina groaned. She pressed the button to answer the phone._ _ _ _

____"Gina! Tell me you have good news for me."_ _ _ _

____Regina rolled her eyes, "Don't call me that."_ _ _ _

____"Why don't you like the nicknames I give you?"_ _ _ _

____"Because I'm your realtor, not your friend. I spoke to Mr. Ward, and we aren't agreeing at the moment, I made him an offer, we'll see what happens."_ _ _ _

____"I really want this Regina. I can see my club there. Gideon's is going to be amazing, but I need that building."_ _ _ _

____Regina resisted the urge to hit the gas hard when the light turned green. She had someone else in the car, precious cargo if you would, so she eased on the gas. "I'm working on it."_ _ _ _

____"I don't understand why it's so hard. You told me I had to want this one and now I want it, and now you're telling me I can't have it." He whined._ _ _ _

____"I didn't say you couldn't have it. I said we'll see what happens. Ward will call me back; this property has been sitting on the market for almost two years. I will close this sale. Let me do my job. I'll be in touch."_ _ _ _

____Regina ended the call before Gideon could respond. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I need to close this sale this week."_ _ _ _

____She spoke more to herself than to her car companion. She was tired of Gideon, and she wanted him to stop calling her. He was needy and taking up far too much of her time. She could admit that she was dragging her feet because she didn't like him but to get him out of her hair she had to get the damn building. She knew she could close the sale and do it for well under 600k._ _ _ _

____"What exactly just happened?" Emma was fascinated, she'd been interested in whatever it was Regina did when she'd served her at the restaurant. She didn't glean much from the conversation because she didn't hang around the table much._ _ _ _

____"Pardon?"_ _ _ _

____"I can assume that was the asshole from the diner, but why hasn't he just paid for the building?" Emma pressed the button to make her seat recline a little more. She exhaled in relief and looked over at Regina._ _ _ _

____"It's not him. It's me." They stopped at yet another traffic light. Monday morning traffic had begun to pick up, and Regina hated dealing with traffic. She usually didn't take the busy streets; she cared more for the scenic route._ _ _ _

____"Do you not want him to buy the building?"_ _ _ _

____"I want this deal to go through, trust me. I just don't agree with the asking price." Regina looked over at Emma and smiled endearingly at the confusion on her face. It was clear that Emma wanted to understand, but she didn't. Regina knew she wasn't explaining the situation well._ _ _ _

____"So how it works is, I scout out properties based on my client's needs. Once I find something that fits their specifications, I show the client. Then I send in an investigator to appraise the property, basically to tell me what's wrong and what could go wrong with the building. Then I make an offer on behalf of my client. Sometimes the offer is accepted, sometimes there's a battle. I'm locked in a bit of a battle. The property Gideon wants was listed at 640,000, I offered 80,000 less than that because honestly, the price was absolutely ridiculous, and the seller knows it. On top of it being overpriced, the inspection raised some concerns. I went to Gold about it, and he's willing to buy it even with the issues but, won't pay top dollar. So now we're going back and forth."_ _ _ _

____"Why not find a property that doesn't need so much work?"_ _ _ _

____"Because Gideon gets what he wants….well for the most part. The property he wanted, I refused even to attempt to go for. There is currently a bidding war, the asking price was 1.1 million dollars, last I checked it was sitting at 1.8 million. There was no way I was tossing my hat in the ring."_ _ _ _

____"So, you picked something that was less expensive to save him money?"_ _ _ _

____Regina smiled over at Emma, "It has nothing to do with saving money and everything to do with the fact that I can request a larger closing cost, which helps me."_ _ _ _

____Emma looked out on all the red taillights and sighed. "So, Gideon wants to have a bar? At least he's an entrepreneur."_ _ _ _

____Regina scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Uh huh, he's a spoiled brat who has a passing fancy and expects his father to foot the bill. This is his third venture into entrepreneurship in the last 18 months."_ _ _ _

____"Why does his father keep paying for them?"_ _ _ _

____Regina looked over at Emma, "Because he can afford to."_ _ _ _

____Emma furrowed her brow, "That is disgusting. Some people can't afford a meal, and this idiot throws money away."_ _ _ _

____They continued on in relative silence. Regina realizing that she'd struck a nerve and not knowing how to rectify that situation. The way Gold treated money was frustrating to her, but ultimately she didn't care, but maybe money was a touchy subject for Emma. She knew that Emma cared about the less fortunate, but she didn't know much about the woman's background._ _ _ _

____Regina turned into the parking lot of the doctor's office. She parked the car and turned the car off. Emma unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the door. She turned to thank Regina when she saw the brunette take off her seatbelt._ _ _ _

____"You're coming inside?"_ _ _ _

____Regina froze and looked up, her eyes slightly wide; embarrassed. The assumption was that she would go inside, but clearly, she'd been mistaken. It was a rather personal thing, Regina couldn't believe she'd attempted to overstep in such a way. She sat back in her seat. "I'll wait here."_ _ _ _

____"No. I mean...you don't have to. I know you have to work and you brought me all the way over her. I…well-"_ _ _ _

____"I'm free all morning. I don't have any meetings." Regina didn't know why she cared, but she didn't like the idea of Emma having to go into the doctor's office by herself. She knew women did it every day, but she didn't Emma to have to experience it, but she respected that Emma was uncomfortable, so she was fine waiting for the blonde to be finished._ _ _ _

____"You really don't have to stay. I appreciate you bringing me."_ _ _ _

____Regina reached in the backseat for her purse. She dug around before pulling out a card. "Here, this is my card. My cell number is on it. If you need a ride or anything, just call or text me."_ _ _ _

____"Thank you." Emma put the card in her kangaroo pocket_ _ _ _

____Regina smiled and watched as Emma struggled to get out of the car. The door closed and she sighed. She ran her fingers through her hair and shook her head. Regina grabbed her phone out of her bag and checked her email. She read an email from Mr. Ward. He'd offered 565k, and Regina smiled. It was 5k more than her initial offer. She'd promised Gold; she'd get the property for no more than 585k. She knew that Gold would be pleased that she'd managed to finesse Ward into going lower. She began to type her reply when her car door opened._ _ _ _

____"Regina."_ _ _ _

____Regina jumped and dropped her phone. "Jesus Emma."_ _ _ _

____"Shit, sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. Um…I forgot that the doc has to take my blood."_ _ _ _

____Regina reached down and grabbed her phone before looking up at Emma, confused. She was going to ask what that meant when she saw Emma's chin begin to wobble._ _ _ _

____"I don't like needles. Actually, I'm terrified of them. I cry every time. August usually holds my hand, but he's not here…"_ _ _ _

____Regina grabbed her keys and phone then stepped out of the car._ _ _ _

____"Ok."_ _ _ _


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi Lovelies!  
> Don't hate me! I know I suck, but here's a pretty solid chapter!! Please forgive any inaccuracies.  
> Food, music, and fluff are coming up in the next chapter guys! Please bear with me!  
> ~Jem

Regina held the door open and ushered Emma inside. It was a warm atmosphere. She looked at Emma, waiting to see what the younger woman wanted her to do. 

“I need to pee. Will you sign me in? I’m seeing Dr. Marks.” Emma didn’t wait for an answer, she waddled towards the restroom. 

Regina watched her a little startled, but she nodded and headed towards the reception desk. She walked up and smiled. The man was on the phone, but he used his pen to point at the sign-in sheet. He covered the mouthpiece. 

“Sign in, and we’ll call you shortly.” 

She did and noticed that there were quite a few names on the sheet. She figured they wouldn’t have to wait for too long, but if they did, she could contact the office and let them know she’d be running late. 

Regina looked around the room and felt mildly out of place. There were a few women there, all in varying stages of pregnancy. She smoothed down her skirt, lowered herself into a chair, and pulled out her phone to reply to Mr. Ward’s email. When she was finished, she looked up just in time to see Emma coming out of the restroom. She looked around, and Regina could see confusion and a little sadness in her eyes. Regina stood and caught Emma’s eye. A genuine smile appeared on Emma’s lips, and relief flooded her eyes. 

Regina held out her hand and helped Emma settle into the chair. 

“Thanks.” Emma blushed, a little frustrated with herself. She worried that Regina had left while she’d been in the restroom. She’d been hurt and then immensely relieved to see that the brunette had indeed stayed.

“Of course, dear.” Regina picked up a parenting magazine off of the table near her and began to read. 

Emma pulled her phone out and texted August that she was at the doctor. She decided not to tell him that Regina was with her. She knew he’d tease her and ask a million questions. She didn’t want to talk about it; she didn’t know what to tell him. 

“How far along are you?”

Emma looked up at the woman across from her and smiled. She was used to that question, but for some reason, it didn’t feel as invasive when another pregnant woman asked.

“7 months.”

The redhead smiled, “Not too much longer. What's it been like for you?”

Emma exhaled and chuckled, “Um…I had morning sickness for the first four months. My cravings are sort of bad, things I never thought I’d eat, I’ve been eating. Like pickles! I hate them, but I eat them all the time and it's not just pickles, it's pickle-flavored things too. He has weird tastes in food, and he loves to press on my bladder.”

The woman laughed. “I completely understand. I don’t like fish at all. Never have…but I eat fish two times a week now. I’m 41 weeks, and I love her, but I need her to get out. I want my body back.”

Regina sat up, closed the magazine she’d been reading and leaned forward, “Is that common? To go past 40 weeks?” Alarm was evident in her voice.

“Sometimes. My first daughter was a preemie. Born at just 28 weeks, so I think this one is overcompensating,” the woman joked.

Emma rubbed her belly and looked down. She knew there was the potential for complications, and her doctor wanted to keep an eye on her, but she hoped the baby would be full term.

“Is this your first? Are you excited?”

Emma looked up. “He is. Um…I’m nervous but excited. I mean, I hope I’ll be a good mom.”

The woman smiled, “The fact that you’re worried means you’ll do fine.” She reached out and squeezed Emma’s hand. She then looked to Regina, “Are you excited?”

Regina blanched but cleared her throat, “I’m excited for her, definitely. I think she’ll be a great mother.”

“You’ll both be great moms.”

Emma looked over at Regina, a blush present on her neck. The brunette smiled but didn’t say anything. 

“Thomas? Yolanda Thomas?”

“That’s me. Best of luck ladies.”

Emma watched her waddle away, baffled by the assumption the woman had come to. Did she and Regina look like a couple? They didn’t look like they were related so maybe it was just the next common assumption. “Did she…?

“I do believe she thought we were a couple.” Regina finished. She didn’t mind the misconception, but she wondered what Emma thought.

“Sorry I didn’t correct her.”

“It’s not your fault. I think it’s very progressive of her.”

Emma nodded, “Ok, I just didn’t want you to think that I’m…well I’m not…well not really…I mean kind of but..-

“Swan? Emma Swan?”

Regina stood and extended her arm to Emma, helping her up. She placed a hand on the small of Emma’s back while the blonde got to her feet. She was trying not to dwell too much on Emma’s flustered rambling.

“Thanks.” Emma wanted to kick herself for being so inarticulate. She felt like her tongue weighed a ton when she was trying to explain herself. Or maybe it was just Regina who had that effect on her. 

“Hi, Emma.” The nurse greeted her warmly and ushered towards the scale.

“Hey, Ash! You were on vacation last time. How was Florida?”

Ashley smiled, “Hot, but we had a great time. Sean got sunburned because he didn’t listen when I told him to reapply.”

Emma chuckled, stood on the scale and watched the digital numbers morph before settling. “Up 4 pounds. The doc will be glad to hear that.”

Ashley led both Emma and Regina into a room. “Where’s August? It’s not like him to miss an appointment.”

“He had something to do this morning. Ash, this is Regina. Regina, this is Ashley.”

Ashley smiled at Regina, took the offered hand and shook it. She looked the woman up and down and waited for Emma to elaborate on who the mystery woman was, but she didn’t. She was attractive, and Ashley had always thought Emma had a little gay in her. 

Ashley helped Emma onto the bed and took her temperature and blood pressure. “Your vitals look good, I’m happy about that. Your blood pressure is still a little high but lower than last time. Sit tight, the doc will be in soon.”

Emma sighed and looked over at Regina. She was looking around the room like she’d never been in one before. Emma honestly didn’t know much about Regina. The realization dawned on her that she’d invited a near stranger to her doctor’s appointment. 

“So…do you have any kids?”

Regina turned to face Emma, “No, but I do have a niece. Robyn. She’s six now.”

Regina unlocked her phone and found a picture of her niece. It was a picture from a couple of months prior. Robyn was riding on her back. They’d gone to the park that day, and Zelena had snapped the picture and sent it to Regina. She smiled down at the photo before showing it to Emma. 

“She’s beautiful. Wow, look at her hair. She’s like Merida from Brave.”

Regina nodded, “It’s her new favorite movie, actually. She wants to learn to shoot a bow and arrow and ride a horse. I’m sure she’ll go as Merida for Halloween.” 

“So, how many siblings do you have?”

“Just one, a sister. An older sister.”

Emma chuckled, “I didn’t take you for the baby.” 

“Well, I am an adult.” 

Emma chuckled, “Nevermind, I definitely see that you’re the youngest.” 

Regina feigned offense. “What about you Ms. Swan? Any siblings? Are you the baby?” 

Emma looked away and bit her lip, “Um..well-”

“Emma Swan.” The door opened, and Dr. Marks walked in. He was a tall older gentleman with a calm aura about him. He smiled at Emma and looked at Regina; perplexed. “Hello, you’re definitely not August.”

Regina smiled and extended her hand, “Regina Mills.”

He took the offered hand, “Dr. Marks. Thank you for joining us.” He turned his attention to Emma. “Are you ok with me disclosing medical information in front of your friend?”

Emma looked over at Regina, “Are you ok knowing stuff about me?”

Regina smiled, “If you’re comfortable with me knowing, then that’s all that matters.”

Emma looked over at the doctor and nodded. He smiled and looked down at her chart. “4 pounds? That’s good, great actually. This has been a bit of a tumultuous pregnancy for you, but I’m glad you’re doing better. You’re still a bit underweight, but we’re working on it, so I’m not too concerned.” 

“You’re weren’t kidding when you said you were a super hungry pregnant woman, were you?” Regina joked. 

“I’m always hungry, but Dr. Marks says I need to eat more calories. Actually, I need to eat more in general. I’m trying, but I sleep more than anything, and this little one is super picky.” Emma rubbed her belly. 

“I’ll make sure you’re eating more. At least dinner and breakfast when I can. I can bring food to you on your lunch break, too.” Regina was already making a grocery list in her head for things she was going to purchase so that she could meal plan.

Dr. Marks sighed and looked at Emma, “You’re still working?”

Emma groaned and looked away, “I haven’t finished training my replacement yet. She’s not ready.”

“Emma, we said two weeks ago you were going on leave. We agreed: seven months. You can’t risk it.”

“Doc, I’m going on leave, I just need another week. It’s been approved, I just have to stay one more week. I’m a waitress, I’m lucky that the owner is a big ole softy and thinks that people deserve healthcare no matter where they work.”

Dr. Marks scribbled something on Emma’s chart. He sighed before looking back up at Emma. He wasn’t naïve; he knew it was hard for some women to go on maternity leave. Lots of times it wasn’t paid and these women didn’t know what they were going to do. He sighed and wrote more notes in her chart. 

“Thirty weeks will be here before you know. We picked a Lamaze class that was convenient, and we were able to get you in.” Dr. Mark looked up from Emma's chart. 

Emma sighed and looked away. “Do I have to go to Lamaze class?” 

Dr. Marks shook his head, “No, but it will most definitely help the process. You learn a lot of valuable information that will help when going into childbirth.” 

Emma bit her lip and looked at the ground. “Isn’t it weird when you don’t have a partner? August thinks it’s too intimate and doesn’t feel comfortable going.” 

Regina furrowed her brow but refrained from speaking. She couldn’t fathom how attending a Lamaze class was too intimate, especially since they apparently created a child together. She wasn't terribly surprised since she’d gone with Zelena to Lamaze class because her husband flat out refused to. 

“It may feel a little awkward, but you don’t have to take August, you could take a friend.” Dr. Marks looked pointedly at Regina and then back at Emma. He didn’t know much about Emma’s companion, but she seemed willing to help. 

“When’s the first class?” Emma asked, stuffing her hands in the kangaroo pouch of her hoodie. 

“On the 28th, so two and a half weeks away. You have time, we can set your next appointment for the 26th, and you can let me know what you decide. Do you want to see him?” the doctor asked, changing course. 

Emma nodded happily. “Regina, can you help?”

Dr. Marks excused himself from the room and went to find the ultrasound technician. 

Regina helped Emma recline on the bed, taking care to ensure she was comfortable. Emma lifted her hoodie and t-shirt, excited. She always marveled at how much he changed with every appointment. The ultrasound technician walked in and smiled at Emma.

“We got a new ultrasound machine since your last visit. It’s 4D.”

“That’s so cool, I know Dr. Marks has been talking about getting one for months. He bragged about it having a gel warmer too….I hate how cold that stuff is.” 

The technician chuckled and pulled down Emma’s waistband a little. She laid a paper sheet across her lap and tucked the top edge under Emma’s waistband. The technician then squeezed some gel onto Emma’s belly. She flinched out of habit but smiled and relaxed when she realized it wasn’t cold. She watched the screen as the technician moved the wand around on her belly.

“And here is Baby Swan.” 

Emma gasped as she could make out a foot. He looked a bit like clay, or play dough. She moved the wand around again, and then Emma caught a glimpse of her son’s face. He had a button nose and chunky cheeks. Emma choked on a sob and covered her mouth. 

“Oh, Emma…” Regina leaned in a little to get a look at the blonde’s son. He would have the sweetest face. His fist was balled up near his mouth, and he looked to be pouting. He was beautiful like his mother. 

The technician pressed a couple keys on the keyboard of the ultrasound machine, and then the sound of Baby Swan’s heartbeat filled the room. Emma grasped Regina’s hand and stared in awe at the screen. His heartbeat was strong and melodious, like a classical composition. Regina felt her eyes begin to mist. 

“Strong heartbeat,” the technician commented as she continued to move the wand around. She measured him and checked ratios with where he should be at that point in gestation. Emma held Regina’s hand the entire time, never tearing her eyes away from the screen. She felt sadness wash over her as the technician printed a couple photos. 

“Alright Ms. Swan, we’ll see you in two weeks. Baby looks great, his heartbeat is strong, and he’s growing at a healthy rate.” She wiped away the gel from Emma’s stomach.

Emma nodded and smiled as she held the printed photo. The technician began to roll the ultrasound machine out. 

“What about my blood work?” 

“I’ll send in Ashley.” 

Emma nodded again and tried to reach the box of tissue. She groaned when she couldn’t, and the noise spurred Regina into action. She walked around the bed and grabbed the box, holding it out. Emma smiled and began wiping at her stomach, getting the gel that had been left behind. 

Regina walked over to the sink and wet a paper towel. She brought it back and paused for a moment, not knowing how to proceed. When she’d gone to appointments with Zelena, she always wiped her stomach off, but she didn't know if that would cross a line with Emma. 

“Is that for me?” Emma pointed to the damp paper towel and smiled when Regina nodded. “Oh thanks, August never understands why I like a wet paper towel afterward. I know it’s probably all in my head, but I always feel sticky.” 

Regina handed Emma the paper towel as Ashley walked in. “Well, how is he?” 

Emma smiled as she finished wiping her stomach. She handed the towel back to Regina, who took it without a second thought. She fixed her leggings as Regina disposed of the wet napkin. 

“He’s beautiful, they used the 4D ultrasound, it’s amazing...wait....are you going to take my blood?” Emma tried and failed to sit up. Regina reached out and helped her up.

“No, the doc said we don’t need to. You know your test for gestational diabetes wasn’t positive, so there’s no need for any more needles. Aren’t you excited?”

Emma nodded, but looked at Regina sheepishly, hoping the woman didn’t believe she’d brought her in under false pretenses. She was genuinely terrified of needles, and she was used to having someone there to hold her hand. Regina smiled, and Emma relaxed. 

“Two weeks. You better not still be working or I’m sure Dr. Marks is going to pop a blood vessel.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies!!
> 
> Food Porn and the music have returned!!! Enjoy  
> ~Jem

Regina stood in line at Whole Foods, her cart filled with fruit, vegetables, lean meats, and seafood. She’d made a mental list of what to buy and was pleased to see that she’d remembered to get everything she’d come for. Though she hadn’t heard from a certain blonde, she still bought enough to feed two. Well three, technically.  She smiled at the cashier as she loaded her groceries onto the belt. 

 

“How are you? I haven’t seen you in a while.” The cashier asked as he scanned her groceries. He blushed and looked away when Regina arched an eyebrow. 

 

“I’ve been a little busy with work, but it’s nice to know my presence was missed.” She smirked at him, causing him to flush thoroughly. Her phone rang, and she fished it out of her purse. 

 

“This is Regina.” She didn’t recognize the number but that never meant much. Her cell phone rang all the time with unknown names.

 

“Uh...hi, this is Emma.” 

 

Regina chuckled as she swiped her card to pay for her spoils. She smiled goodbye at the young cashier and pushed her cart towards the door. It had been three days since she’d been in contact with Emma and if Regina were honest with herself, she’d missed her. 

 

“Hello Emma, sorry, I didn’t recognize the number. How are you?” She could hear shuffling on the other line, and she wondered what the blonde was doing. 

 

“I’m ok….good. I’m good.” 

 

Regina loaded up her car and took the cart to it’s designated area. “Ok, well I’m just leaving Whole Foods. If you haven’t eaten yet, you can come over, and I’ll make dinner. I should be home in about a half an hour.” 

 

“Really? I mean...if you feel like it. You don’t have to or anything.” 

 

Regina unlocked her car and slid into the driver’s seat. She pushed the button to start the car and her phone connected to the vehicle via Bluetooth. “I told you I would ensure that you ate. I was honestly beginning to worry you were hiding from me. I would love to make you dinner.” 

 

Emma exhaled into the phone, “Thank you. You know you don’t have to do this right?” 

 

Regina smiled, “I do it because I want to. I love to cook, and you enjoy my cooking. Are you craving anything in particular?” Regina maneuvered through the late afternoon traffic, she rolled her eyes as the light turned red and she had to brake. 

 

“Um...not really. I’ve been craving gummy worms, but I don’t think you want to cook with that.” 

 

Regina chuckled, “No dear, I don’t know how I could incorporate that into a meal. Does salmon sound good to you?” 

 

“Sure! I’ll eat just about anything at this point if I'm honest. I’m in an Uber right now, and I still need to hop in the shower, but I’ll be over after. See you soon!” 

 

* * *

_ You’re an orphan /  Of course / I’m an orphan /  God, I wish there was a war then we could prove that we’re worth more than anyone bargained for… _

 

She sighed as she diced an onion. She ignored the stinging in her eyes as she finished dicing them and moved on to the scallions. Once she was finished dicing everything, Regina placed two tablespoons of butter into a medium-sized saucepan and lowered the heat as the butter began to melt quickly. She added the onion and stirred them to ensure they didn’t burn. While the onions sizzled, Regina opened the fridge and pulled out a few cloves of garlic. Smashing them with the side of her chef’s knife, she breathed in their heady aroma before peeling each pearly clove. She lowered the heat under the onions and stirred them again before mincing the garlic. 

 

_ I’m a diamond in the rough /  a shiny piece of coal / tryin’ to reach my goal m _ _ y power of speech: unimpeachable /   _ _ Only nineteen but my mind is older / These New York City streets get colder I shoulder ev’ry burden, ev’ry disadvantage I've learned to manage, I don’t have a gun to brandish  _ _ I walk these streets famished. _

 

There was a knock at the door, and she smiled to herself. “It’s open,” she called.

 

She heard the door, and she turned to watch as Emma stepped into her home. She looked comfy in an oversized lightweight sweater and leggings. The blonde smiled warmly and walked further into the condo. 

 

“Hi,” Emma continued to smile as she walked into the kitchen. She leaned against the counter opposite the stove and watched as Regina added water, salt and some kind of rice to a pan on the stove. 

 

“Hello dear.” Regina raised the heat to induce a boil. She opened a cabinet that was over the stove, pulled out a bag, and handed it to Emma. She bit her lip and turned back to the stovetop, feeling silly and a little embarrassed. 

 

“Oh my god Regina, you are perfect!” Emma opened the massive bag of gummy worms and pulled one out. She smiled brightly as she bit into it. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as the sweet delight hit her tongue. She’d been contemplating texting August to bring her home a bag, but Regina was sheer perfection and not only bought her a bag but a bulk-sized one at that. 

 

Regina turned to look at Emma and smirk on her lips. “Think nothing of it. How was work?”

 

Emma sighed and finished up another gummy worm. “The girl I’m training is...hopeless, honestly. She dropped like six plates today, and we were busy. I know I can’t stress because it’s not good for the little guy, but she really is hopeless. And I only have another week to train her. I won’t last longer than that. My feet are killing me, and my back hurts so bad.” 

 

Regina frowned a little, “Do you know if you’re cleared for massages?”

 

“Yea, Dr. Marks gave me a note a couple weeks ago. He suggested I get them since I was on my feet all day, but I never did it. I can’t really afford something like that right now.” 

 

Regina nodded and checked on the rice. It was boiling so she turned the heat down and covered the pan with a top. 

 

“I have a friend who is a trained massage therapist. She’s also certified in prenatal massages. She’s mobile so she can come to you. I can set something up,”  Regina posed it nonchalantly in the hopes that Emma would allow it. 

 

“Oh Regina that’s really nice of you, but uh...you don’t have to do that.” 

 

Regina looked at Emma over her shoulder, “I know I don’t have to, I want to. I did the same thing with my sister. It was very beneficial to her.”

 

Emma smiled but didn’t speak. Did Regina think of her as a sister? Why did that thought bother her so much? She tried to ignore the feelings that were rising because she didn’t want to cry. It would be horrendously embarrassing. She ate another gummy worm, sealed the bag and placed it on the counter behind her. 

 

“Do you need any help?” Emma asked, changing the subject. 

 

“You’ve been on your feet all day.” 

 

“I know, but I feel weird not helping. What are you making right now?”

 

Regina checked the timer on the oven, but there were still eight minutes until it was fully preheated. She tore off four pieces of aluminum foil and placed a cut of salmon on each piece. She grabbed a mixing bowl out of the cabinet and began gathering the ingredients for the glaze. 

 

“The wild rice pilaf is cooking right now, and I’m about to make the glaze for the salmon.” 

Emma pushed off the counter and crossed the kitchen to stand next to Regina. She surveyed the ingredients. “Will you show me how you make it?”

 

Regina smiled brightly and nodded, “I usually do it by feel and taste honestly. Start with the olive oil.” 

 

She pointed to the decanter and watched as Emma poured a little into the mixing bowl. Emma looked at her, and she nodded, signaling that she could add more. Once they were satisfied with the amount of olive oil, they moved on to the other ingredients. 

 

“Depending on how sweet you want it dictates how much honey and brown sugar you add. I’m sure there are actual measurements you could use, but it’s not something I measure.” She smiled as she watched Emma add honey and brown sugar to the mixing bowl. She poured in the soy sauce and let Emma add the garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. While Emma finished the glaze, Regina checked the rice. 

 

“What are you listening to?” 

 

Regina turned to Emma, shock evident on her face. “You’ve never listened to  _ Hamilton?”  _

 

Emma shook her head no while whisking the ingredients for the glaze. She’d heard of the musical obviously; you’d have to be living under a rock to not have heard of it. 

 

_ You say our love is draining and you can’t go on / You’ll be the one complaining when I am gone/ And no, don’t change the subject/ Cuz you’re my favorite subject/ My sweet, submissive subject/ My loyal, royal subject/ Forever and ever and ever and ever and ever. _

 

Regina sang along and gently bumped her hip against Emma’s, “We will rectify this ghastly oversight, but it’s over two hours long.” 

 

Emma chuckled. “How about I’ll listen to it tomorrow after work and let you know what I think?” 

 

Regina smiled and nodded as she used a basting brush to coat each piece of salmon with a liberal amount of the glaze. Regina turned the music down and looked at Emma,  “Go get comfortable. This won’t be ready for at least another forty-five minutes There are waters in the fridge if you’re thirsty.” 

 

Emma didn’t argue. She opened the fridge and found sparkling water, went over to the opposite counter, grabbed her gummy worms and went to sit on the couch that faced the television. Emma slid her feet out of her Toms and flexed her toes, picking up the remote and flipping through the channels until something caught her attention. She took a drink from her water bottle and chuckled at the screen. 

 

“What are you watching?” Regina asked as she walked into the living room. She sat down on the opposite end of the sofa, patting her lap and waiting for Emma to get the hint. It took a moment, but the blonde put her feet up. 

 

“ _ Rizzoli and Isles _ rerun.” Emma tried to hide the gasp when Regina began to knead the arch in her foot. The sensation was a bit overwhelming, but it felt amazing, especially after the day she’d had. 

 

“Sorry dear, I didn’t mean--”

 

“It’s fine, really. Go for it, it’s been a long time since someone rubbed my feet.”

 

Regina continued to knead and rub the arch of Emma’s foot as they watched Jane and Maura bicker about a reddish brown stain. Regina had never watched it, but one of the actresses looked familiar, and she was sure she’d seen her in something else. 

 

“August doesn’t rub your feet?” 

 

Emma snorted and rolled her eyes, “No.” 

 

Regina didn’t respond though she couldn’t fathom why Emma was with someone who didn’t seem to take care of her the way he should. She sighed and tried to keep her feelings at bay. Regina switched feet and worked on Emma’s left foot. She bit her lip when Emma sighed and moaned at her ministrations, but continued to work on the young woman’s foot. 

 

“Thank you,” Emma whispered when Regina let go of her foot. She watched the brunette go into the kitchen and check on the food. 

 

“No need to thank me, dear.” Regina opened the fridge and removed the asparagus from the crisper drawer. She’d already cut the stems off. She went under the cabinet for a pot, a small pan, and her steamer basket.

 

“Dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes.” Regina added just under an inch of water to the pot and placed it on the burner over high heat and covered it before rinsing the dirty dishes and putting them into the dishwasher. 

 

_ If this is the end of me _ _ at least I have a friend with me/  _ _ Weapon in my hand, a command, and my men with me/Then I remember my Eliza’s expecting me.../Not only that, my Eliza’s expecting/We gotta go, gotta get the job done/Gotta start a new nation, gotta meet my son! _

 

Emma watched Regina moving around the kitchen and smiled while Regina sang along to  _ Hamilton.  _ She was in awe of her. Regina was incredibly thoughtful, welcoming Emma wholeheartedly into her home and her life. She went above and beyond. It was baffling. 

 

Regina turned down the heat under the boiling water and placed the steamer basket inside the pot, dropping the asparagus inside and covering it. While the asparagus steamed, she turned on a different burner and set the little pan on it. As it began to heat up, Regina drained the wild rice pilaf, removed a bag of pine nuts from the pantry and placed two generous handfuls into the warming pan. As they began to toast, she pan flipped them with a quick back and forth motion. 

_ There is so much more inside me now/ Oh Philip, you outshine the morning sun/ My son/  When you smile/ I fall apart/ And I thought I was so smart _

 

Regina turned both burners off and checked the pilaf, adding butter, salt, and pepper to the dish. She used a spoon to taste the pilaf and deemed it good enough, then folded in the toasted pine nuts. Regina dressed the steamed asparagus with butter, garlic salt, lemon pepper and a splash of lemon juice. Opening a cabinet above her, she removed two plates and set them on the counter. The oven went off, and Regina smiled at how perfect the timing was. She opened the oven door and her mouth watered. Pulling on a pair of oven mitts she removed the pan. 

 

“Do you need me to do anything?” Emma asked from the living room. She could smell everything, and she felt guilty not having made a more significant contribution. 

 

“If you want to go ahead and have a seat at the table, I’ll bring the food.” Regina made a small bed of rice on both plates, and using a thin spatula she nestled a piece of salmon on top of each bed. She drizzled the remainder of the glaze on top of each piece of fish before adding asparagus to each plate. She grabbed two forks and headed towards the table. 

 

“It looks amazing.” Emma bit her lip as Regina sat the plate in front of her. The aroma wafting off the plate was intoxicating. She waited until Regina was seated before she took her first bite. The salmon was tender and flaked perfectly. Emma sectioned off a small piece and added some of the wild rice pilaf to her fork before bringing it to her lips. 

 

Regina nearly choked due to the salacious sounds Emma made. She sipped from her bottle of water and cleared her throat. “I’m assuming you approve.”

 

Emma blushed. “Is there anything you can’t cook well?”

 

Regina smiled and chewed her food before answering, “this is only your second meal from me, so I’m sure there’s something I don’t do well.” 

 

Emma speared the asparagus with her fork and took a bite, consciously refusing to allow the sounds of pleasure to escape. She was never a big fan of asparagus, but it was quite enjoyable. She was beginning to think there wasn’t anything Regina would make for her that she wouldn’t eat and enjoy. 

 

“So, whatever happened with the guy and the nightclub?” 

 

“Gideon? Well, I was able to acquire the property for 516K which is a steal, honestly. I’m good at my job, but I surprised myself with this sale. Mr. Gold was thrilled. I’m sure he’ll be back in about eight months, but I’ll take the win for now.” Regina took a dainty bite from her plate. 

 

“Half a million dollars for something that he’ll just give up on in a year? I still can’t wrap my head around that.”

 

Regina watched Emma, how she ate, slightly hunched over her plate, her fork full everytime she brought it to her mouth. It was endearing and bothersome all at once. She ate as if her food would be taken from her. Regina knew there was more to it than pregnancy. She found that she wanted to know everything there was to know about Emma. 

 

“Will you work with them again?” 

 

The question pulled Regina from her inner musing, “I’m honestly not sure. I know I’d be expected to; they’ve been clients of mine for years. I procured his home and his condo, the space for his wife’s bookstore, the office he works out of and all of Gideon’s failed business ventures. It would be wise for me to continue that relationship, but Gideon rubbed me the wrong way this time around. If they were to come back, I might give the sale to one of my associates.”

 

Emma nodded and continued to eat, merely enjoying the brunette’s company. The conversation flowed smoothly, Emma was comfortable, and she felt that Regina genuinely enjoyed being around her. She usually only felt like that around August. People didn’t like her, people pitied her and tolerated her. It was rare that someone took time to try and get to know her without their being ulterior motives. Neal was one of those people, or so she thought. He used her, and he hurt her. If it hadn’t been for a very kind and understanding female police officer, she would currently be in jail. 

 

“I can do the dishes.” Emma insisted as they took their plates into the kitchen. 

 

“Emma you’re my guest, and I have a dishwasher, so there is no need for you to worry about that. You don’t have to feel like you owe me something.” Regina began to load the dishwasher. 

 

“Why are you so nice to me? First, you feed me, then you take me to the doctor, then you offer to feed me whenever, why? You don’t even know me.” Emma’s voice was just above a whisper. She sounded so lost. 

 

It hurt Regina to know that her kindness was so confusing; as if people had never shown Emma kindness just to do it. She wanted to go back and protect the blonde from all the people who caused such confusion and insecurities.

 

“Honestly? I think you’re lovely and endearing. When you knocked on my door, I was surprised, but you were so precious I couldn’t say no to you. I’ve always been someone who enjoys caring for others. You deserve someone who shows you kindness and takes care of you. Especially now.” Regina looked down and Emma’s protruding belly, but stopped herself from reaching out and rubbing it. That would be inappropriate, for multiple reasons. 

 

Emma bit her lip in an attempt to hide her tears, but it was no use. She couldn’t hold back the choked sob and the tears that fell from her eyes. She shuddered when Regina wiped the tears away and pulled her into an awkward but comforting hug.  

 

“Oh, Emma…” Regina rubbed her back gently. She felt so small in her arms, and Regina realized that she wanted to hold Emma all the time. 

 

Emma pulled back a little, her eyes tracking Regina’s face and settling on her lips. She licked her own and just for a moment she wanted to feel something good. Emma'd been a hormonal mess for weeks, and she just needed to feel something positive. She leaned in, and their lips brushed for half a second before Regina pulled away gently. 

 

“Emma...I--”

 

Emma backed away, embarrassed. Her cheeks flushed a dark red, and she swiped at the fresh tears that rushed hotly down her cheeks. 

 

Regina could kick herself. She could hear the sensible voice in her head telling her to stop, to let Emma leave and they would pretend the slight brush of lips didn’t happen, but the reckless voice inside didn’t care about August, or their seemingly unfulfilling relationship. The careless voice won. 

 

Regina leaned forward and captured pale lips with her own. She cupped Emma’s face and moved her mouth gently against the blonde. She wanted more. Much to Regina’s excitement, Emma deepened the kiss and allowed her in, mirroring the way Regina had allowed Emma into her home, her life, her heart. 

 

Emma melted into the kiss, enjoying the gentle stroking of Regina’s tongue. Emma groaned into Regina’s mouth. Was there anything Regina wasn’t amazing at? Regina’s tongue felt like a caress from a lover after being apart for too long. They moved together as if they’d kissed a million times.  She fisted her hands into Regina’s blouse pulling her as close as her protruding belly would allow. She felt like a cliche because she was sure her knees were weak. She wanted more, needed more. She hadn’t been touched in months, and if the way Regina kissed was any indicator…

 

Emma groaned and slowed the heated kiss.  

 

“Emma...” Regina breathed the name against swollen lips. 

 

Emma ran her thumb over her own bottom lip and took a step away from Regina. She needed to leave because if she didn’t, she would ask Regina to touch her and by the way the brunette looked at her the answer would be yes.

  
  


Regina felt a stirring deep inside, and she knew that if she were allowed she would kiss Emma every day for the rest of her life, but then she remembered that she couldn’t because Emma was with August. “I’m sorry...I shouldn’t have done that...we...I--” 

 

“--Thank you….. for dinner.” She took a deep breath and moved as quickly as her body would allow towards the front door. She closed it gently behind her leaving a stunned Regina in her wake.   

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	7. Chapter 7

“Em? Why are your Toms in a bag outside next to a big ass bag of gummy worms?” August asked as he walked into their condo. Emma sat on the couch, hugging a pillow. Her eyes were puffy, her cheeks were rosy, and she looked sad and broken. Music was playing, and he didn’t recognize it, but it sounded to him like Broadway. Rap Broadway? He ignored the music and walked over to her. He dropped to his knees, placed the candy and shoes on the floor and grabbed her hands. 

 

“What’s wrong? Are you hurt? Is the little guy ok?” 

 

She hiccuped and shook her head. “He's fine. I’m just...I…” She couldn’t formulate a way to explain why she was so upset. Regina hadn’t done anything wrong. She’d done everything right. She was nice to her, she fed her, went to the doctor with her, rubbed her feet. She was perfect but she wasn’t Emma’s. She was everything to Emma, but seemingly everything she couldn’t have. The cold hand of loneliness clenched at her heart and she covered her mouth to hide the horrifying sound that was trying to claw its way out of her chest. She had a handle on it. She was sad and alone but she was coping. She had come to terms with her loneliness and she knew soon she’d have her son and they’d be together. Then Regina happened. Beautiful Regina with warm eyes and a voice as smooth as milk chocolate. She didn’t want to be alone anymore, she wanted her.  

 

“Talk to me Em, what’s wrong?”  He stroked her cheek and kissed her hands. He was worried, he’d never seen her in such a state. He’d seen her cry at the odd commercial or cry when her favorite pair of sweatpants didn’t fit anymore, but what was happening at that moment felt different. He’d vowed when he found her again that he would take care of her. She’d called him sobbing from a pay phone after nearly being arrested, and he’d immediately come to her aid. He moved her into his condo and told her he would be there for whatever she needed. He was failing because she was hurting and there was nothing he could do. 

 

“I’m alone! No one...no one wants me. I’m having this baby by myself! Neal didn’t love me; he would have let me go to jail. My parents didn’t love me; they left me on the side of the road near a diner! Everyone who is supposed to love me leaves me.” She cried into the pillow and curled, as best she could, around it. 

 

“Emma, you’re not alone.” 

 

“I am. I don’t have anyone to go to the doctor with me. Or go to stupid Lamaze classes, or rub my feet or my back, or cook me food. It’s just me. I’m alone. I’m always alone.” 

 

August sighed because he didn’t know what to say to make her feel better. He knew she wasn’t entirely wrong,, but he didn’t want her to feel the way she was feeling. He took a deep breath and stood up. He walked towards the door, the sounds of Emma’s cries piercing his heart. He walked out of their condo and went down the hall. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door.  Almost immediately he could hear feet shuffling and then the door opened. He’d only seen her from afar or caught glimpses of her, but the woman was beautiful. He cleared his throat. 

 

“Um...hello”

 

Regina raised an eyebrow and pulled her robe tighter around her body. She had hoped it was Emma at the door, especially after how they’d left things. She felt horrible, and she’d gone over to Emma’s door, but the blonde hadn’t answered the door. She tried calling Emma’s cell phone, but that hadn’t helped either. So she left the blonde’s shoes and the bag of gummy worms by the door and went home. Cleaning up was torturous, and she berated herself the entire time. She shouldn’t have let her leave.

 

“Sorry, you don’t know me but--”

 

“--You’re August...I’ve heard about you.” She tried to hide her disdain but wasn’t very successful. She could tell that he was taken aback by the lack of warmth in her tone. It angered her, him standing at her door. He didn’t deserve Emma, he who didn’t cook for her, or rub her feet. He who thought accompanying Emma to Lamaze classes was too intimate. This man standing in front of her genuinely pissed her off. 

 

“Yea...so this may be weird, but I know you and Emma talk and...well….I just got home,, and she’s sobbing on the couch, and I don’t know what to say to her. This may be completely off base but would you be willing to come and talk to her...or something? I just, I don’t--”

 

“--Of course.” There were a plethora of thoughts going through her head at his admission of Emma’s state of being. She immediately felt guilty, Emma was upset and clearly, it was Regina’s fault. She put her feelings aside and was thankful for August and his ineptitude because she would be able to hopeful console Emma.

 

Regina stepped out of her condo and pulled the door closed before following August back to his own. Her heart hurt for Emma, she could only imagine what the blonde was thinking. She ignored her own discomfort at having August come to her door on behalf of Emma. What the blonde saw in him, she didn’t know. 

 

August pushed the door open and let Regina enter first. The sight was painful, but the sounds coming from Emma were excruciating. Regina immediately walked over to her and kneeled in front of her. 

 

“Oh sweetheart, I’m so very sorry,” Regina whispered. She didn’t know where August,, was but she didn’t want to say anything that could potentially cause problems with the unmatched couple. 

 

“I’ll leave you to it, thanks again.” She could hear him walking away followed by the soft  _ snick  _ of a door closing. 

 

“Emma, please look at me.” She stroked a blotchy cheek. Her heart was hammering away in her chest. Emma’s broken state caused Regina a bit of self-loathing. She’d gone too far and now Emma was paying the price. Her selfish desires could potentially ruin Emma’s relationship.

 

The blonde sniffed and looked up, surprised to see Regina sitting in front of her. “Regina? What are you doing here?” 

 

Emma tried to sit up, but Regina shook her head and tsked her. “Your...August came and got me. He told me you were crying, Emma I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you; it’s just that...well this is a peculiar situation.” 

 

“I know I’m pregnant and it’s my fault and I’m all alone.” Emma sighed and looked away from Regina. She’d been foolish; it was unrealistic to believe that Regina could actually want her. Though Regina was perfect in every way, she was perfectly unobtainable. If Emma could create the perfect partner, they would look like Regina. They would be kind, loving, beautiful and understanding. Regina treated Emma the way she wanted Neal to treat her. She was starting to realize she didn’t deserve it, the affection and care. She was unworthy. She was destined to be alone.

 

“You have August. You’re not alone.” Regina swallowed around the statement, ignoring how nauseous it made her. Emma deserved so much more than someone who forgot her doctor appointments and left her crying alone with a virtual stranger. She would never, she longed to pull the blonde into her arms and tell her she was beautiful and she would never have to be alone again. She fought against the urge to lean in and place a gentle kiss to Emma’s lips to assure the woman that she was worth everything. 

“August doesn’t do things like...well like you do. He’s great, I really appreciate everything he’s done since he found out I was pregnant but he’s not...enough. I need more.” 

 

Regina sighed and bit her lip because she wanted to be the “more” than Emma needed. She was a well-educated, successful woman but none of that mattered when she was with Emma. Regina had tried to date men and women and it never went the way she planned. The last relationship she found herself in, he was married and using her financially. The last woman she’d been with had only pursued her for bragging rights. She wanted to settle down with someone, have a family and be in love. She could see that picture so clearly with Emma that it hurt her how far out of reach it was. Her feelings didn’t make any sense, they hadn’t known each other long, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that Emma was it for her, but she couldn’t have her. Not ultimately, and she didn’t want just half of her. 

 

“Emma….you are beautiful and I….I would love to continue to be here for you. I will cook for you, rub your feet, attend your appointments, everything you need. I can do that for you, I will do that for you.” 

 

Emma’s pain spilled from her eyes. Even when rejecting her, Regina managed to keep her feelings in mind. She wasn’t wholly walking out of her life, she just couldn’t be the more that Emma wanted her to be. It hurt but the blonde could respect that. She would respect that because Regina was offering her a reprieve from her loneliness and even though it wasn’t precisely what she’d envisioned, she would take it. 

 

“I really appreciate it and...well, I’m sorry I kissed you.” It was a lie, Emma would never regret her decision to kiss Regina. She could never regret that experience because it was everything and more. For the first time, in months she’d felt wanted and sexy. 

 

Regina smiled and shook her head, “No need to apologize. It was nice, it was more than nice it’s just, well...I--”

 

“--you don’t have to explain, I’m pregnant.” Emma dropped her hand down on her belly and smiled, though it was a sad one.  

 

Regina sighed, she was so conflicted. “Emma, it’s not because you’re pregnant that I pulled away from kissing you. You have to know that I am not so superficial, this is just complicated.”

 

Regina ran her fingers through her hair and hugged her abdomen, her knees were starting to hurt because of the way she was kneeling, but she ignored the pain. If anything, the small pinpricks that were shooting up her leg were a welcome distraction from the ache in her chest. 

 

“What do you mean? Why is it complicated if it’s not about me being pregnant? I don’t expect you to adopt him as soon as he’s born or anything. I just….” She sighed and bit her lip, “I just...you make me feel things that I’ve never felt before. Ever...and I want to feel that more and I’m sorry for that, I’m sorry because it’s selfish of me to expect you to just accept me and all my baggage but you...you just...it meant something. Didn’t it?”

 

Regina wiped tears from her eyes and looked up at Emma. The barrage of questions hit her hard. The idea of being a second mother to Emma’s child was daunting but also so damn beautiful that she ached for it to be her reality. The conversation was causing Regina’s head to swim, Emma spoke as if she wasn’t cohabitating with the father of her child. He was just down the hall, probably watching a game while she consoled his pregnant girlfriend. She would give Emma the world if she could, in good conscience, and it was so damn hard saying no while looking into stormy green eyes. 

 

Regina sighed, she opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. She didn’t know how to explain that yes, she wanted Emma, all of her, but she would not be her something on the side. She couldn’t. She'd much rather hurt and be in the blonde’s life as a friend than to have to know that she was with someone else. The constant wondering would end her. 

 

Regina cleared her throat, could feel the stinging in her eyes, the telltale sign that she was going to cry again. “You...Emma, you have August and I...well I can’t be that woman.” 

 

Emma scrunched up her face, “What woman? Regina, what are you talking about?”

 

Regina sighed, if she were not so emotional she’d be angry at Emma for making her vocalize what the elephant in the room was. It was bad enough that he dared to come and get her to console Emma, not that she minded, but now she had to openly admit that though she wanted Emma more than she wanted to close her next sale, she wouldn’t play second fiddle to the discount bad boy in leather. 

 

“You live with August, Emma.”

 

Regina’s tone was dry and a bit harsh and it took Emma by surprise, what had August done to Regina for her to harbor disdain for him. Granted he was a bit of an asshole, but she was sure that his encounters with Regina had been limited. 

 

“You don’t want to see what this is between us because of who I live with?” Emma cocked her head to the side and furrowed her brows. She watched as Regina’s face morphed from sadness to exasperation. 

 

“It’s not just because you live with him Emma, he’s...well at the very least he’s the father of your child and at the most, he’s your boyfriend.” 

 

The room was silent for what felt like hours before Emma giggled. Legitimately giggled, said giggle turned into a chuckle which crescendoed into a full-on fit of hysteria. She laughed so hard that tears streamed down her face. Her vision was clouded, so she missed Regina’s pursed lips and rigid posture. 

 

“I have to pee.” Emma struggled to stand and waddled to the bathroom. She chuckled while sitting on the toilet and shook her head. Regina thought she and August were a couple and that was why she’d been so reserved. That meant that the kiss had meant something, and they could be more. She stood at the sink washing her hands with a dopey smile on her face. She looked a fright but that didn’t matter because Regina wanted her, and the only reason she hadn’t pursued her was due to a misunderstanding. 

 

Emma waddled back into the living room only to find it empty. She sighed and immediately felt her eyes begin to sting. She sniffed and lowered herself down on the couch. She groaned as she tried to understand what had happened, why Regina had left, why she wasn’t overjoyed at the news that August wasn’t Emma’s boyfriend. Emma groaned and leaned back against the couch. She hadn’t actually said anything, she’d just laughed and then ran off to the bathroom. She hadn’t assuaged any of Regina’s guilt, all she’d done was laugh in the woman’s face. The admission had been hysterical but only because to her it was preposterous. August was family, he was her brother. Regina didn’t know that. 

 

Emma dug in her pocket and pulled out her phone, she bit her lip before tapping away at the screen. She sent it and grabbed her bag of gummy worms off of the floor and opened it, placing one in her mouth. She hoped Regina would read her text message. 

 

* * *

Regina lay in bed, holding a pillow. Emma had laughed in her face, she hadn’t even given her fears or concerns any thought. Just laughed and then ran off to the restroom. Which honestly, Regina realized was merely a coincidence but it was still upsetting. She’d bared her heart to the pregnant blonde and she’d received laughter in response.  She heard her phone  _ ding _ , indicating a text message. She reached out to her nightstand for the phone and sighed when she saw it was from Emma. She was very tempted to ignore the message and continue to wallow in her self-pity, but she was curious. She opened the text.

 

_ He’s not my boyfriend. _

_ Or the father.  _

_ I’m sorry I laughed at you. _

  
  



End file.
